1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tool specifically designed to separate, as by cutting, the edible portion from the rind portion of a melon. The tool incorporates a cutting blade capable of having its operative position and cutting stroke altered depending on the configuration and size of the melon being cut, subsequent to the melon being separated into substantially equally dimensioned halves.
2. Description of the Related Art
The removal of the pulp or edible portion of the fruit from the interior of a melon half is generally accomplished using conventional tools such as spoons, scoops, etc. Such conventional tools are not necessarily designed for this operation. Accordingly, utilization of such common instruments frequently results in a time consuming, relatively messy process wherein the edible portion of the melon is removed in relatively small pieces or chunks rather than as a substantially single, intact piece. The exception of this is the common usage of a scoop type instrument for forming "melon balls" wherein it is desired to form the edible portion of the melon into decorative balls which may be of varying size. The removal of the entire pulp from a watermelon of normal size would be extremely time consuming and again, would not accomplish the frequently desired purpose of removing a majority of the pulp or edible portion of the melon from the rind in a substantially intact, larger piece.
There are, of course, numerous other instruments and/or tools designed to be used in the cutting or shaping of melons or other fruits wherein it is desired to "crown" the peripheral edge rather than remove the edible portion from the rind. The term "crowning" refers to the process of forming a saw-toothed design on the outer ridges of the halves of a melon or other similarly shaped fruit. The purpose, of course, is to provide a decorative peripheral edge on the rind portion of the fruit which may be of primary interest in the areas of catering or restaurant businesses, as well as for use at home where a decorative melon is desired for festive events or larger gatherings. Typically, such crowning tools incorporate a handheld device which includes a cutting blade having a generally corrugated configuration. Alternately, certain hand-held tools are designed for the forming of such decorative, peripheral edges about the melon half rind using a single substantially V-shaped cutting blade applied continuously to the rind of the melon in a penetrating fashion.
While the above tools and instruments are well-known, none are specifically designed to accomplish the removal of the pulp or edible portion of a melon, regardless of its size or configuration, utilizing a single or minimal number of cutting strokes. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a cutting tool assembly specifically designed to remove a desired, majority of the edible portion of the melon from a rind portion thereto, wherein the edible portion is removed by one or two cutting strokes. In addition, watermelons are generally available in two different configurations, namely a substantially round configuration and a substantially elongated configuration, and as such, any such cutting tool should be capable of removing the pulp or edible portion from a watermelon, regardless of its configuration, without requiring the assistance of additional tools and or requiring a user to maintain a plurality of tools in varying sizes. Accordingly, the cutting blade of such a preferred cutting tool should be capable of being selectively positioned or oriented in different configurations before the cutting process begins, in order to accommodate the melon's configuration. Preferably, the selective positioning of such a cutting blade should ensure that a cutting edge thereof will be continuously maintained at the junction between the edible portion of the melon and the rind portion of the melon. Also, the selective altering of the position of the cutting blade to adapt it for use on melons of varying sizes and shapes should be possible without major mechanical adjustments of the tool or a restructuring of the tool or its components.